Tree of Ages
by Sacred Miko Hime
Summary: The Tree of Ages has always been. When Kagome is taken over by Menomaru, she begins a new journey at the Tree of Ages and someone unexpected helps her along the way.
1. She Didn't Notice

Wow

**Wow. It has been so long since I've written, much less posted anything. Of course, that probably has something to do with my lack of internet access for say… ever.**

**Anyway, I went and watched **_**Inuyasha: Affections Touching Across Time **_**and my muse apparently decided to get off her lazy butt…**

**Muse: HEY!**

… **and start working. I don't know if this will be any longer but I do sorta have an idea about where this will go from here if I decide to continue, but knowing my muse and my computer, it will probably be a long while before I have another chapter posted. If someone would Beta for me, I would really appreciate it. **

**Anyway… kudos to anyone who actually read any of this and on with the story. **

_That…sound again…_

Kagome winced as a high pitched keening filled her mind, threatening to destroy her fragile grip on sanity…and control. As Menomaru sought to force her to kill her best friend, his moths swarmed around the clearing, their noxious poison stifling the air. Distracted momentarily, Menomaru seized his chance.

Through eyes glazed red, she saw her pale fingers grasp the arrow lying innocently but a few inches away. She saw herself take aim at Inuyasha's heart. She saw him refuse to run, believing that she would be able to win, to wrestle back control and free herself. She saw and she fought…and she failed.

_Inuyasha! Nooo!!_

Her arrow flew straight and true, straight into Inuyasha's prone form.

_Inuyasha? Inuyashaa!!_

Kagome screamed her agony into the wind. She didn't realize that the tormented sound would catch the attention of another silver haired, golden eyed demon not far away.

She saw Inuyasha sink to his knees at the base of the Sacred Tree. She didn't notice the tainted shard burst from her forehead. She didn't notice the bow and arrow disappear.

She raced forward, holding his head in her trembling arms. She didn't notice the moths disintegrate. She didn't notice the two powerful auras that steadily approached.

She pleaded with him to be alright, begging him to open his eyes and say something. She didn't notice the blood soaking into her white haori. She didn't notice the tears flowing down her face.

She prayed to the kamis to help him and she cursed Menomaru with every fiber of her being. She didn't notice the silent footsteps. She didn't notice someone pick up the shard a few feet away.

"Ironic isn't it?"

Kagome's head snapped up, though her grip on Inuyasha never faltered. She looked up to see Kikyo standing a few feet away, looking for all the world like an angel of death as her soul collectors floated inches from her pale skin.

"The same situation…The same spot. You truly are my reincarnation, walking the same path I did."

Kikyo held up the shikon shard. It remained a dull pink in her hands.

"Now, take this and return to your world."

"I won't!"

Kagome felt a cold fury grip her heart at the thought of abandoning Inuyasha. She had told him she would stay by his side and she had every intention of seeing her promise through.

"You must go. You never belonged here in these times. You are an outsider, a person who chanced upon this world of ours."

Kagome flinched. Kikyo had touched upon her deepest doubts, the ones that came to haunt her at night. Her grip on Inuyasha wavered then firmed, but when she spoke, her voice was timid and scared.

"I can't leave Inuyasha."

Kikyo's expression stiffened, her eyes angry.

"You must leave! _You're _the one who injured him!"

_Not willingly! _She wanted to cry. Kikyo's words stung but she would not … could not deny the truth they carried.

"Heed my words. Hyoga is using the formidable Tree of Ages in order to increase his demon powers."

"Tree of Ages?"

Kikyo moved forward, her steps surreal in their grace, and placed her palm on the Sacred Tree. Her hand lingered almost longingly on its smooth bark before she responded. When she spoke again, her voice was gentler, almost soothing.

"That's correct. Thisis also a Tree of Ages."

"The Sacred Tree is?"

"A Tree of Ages lives through different eras. Hyoga's Tree of Ages steals energy from various generations. By now, other generations of time have already frozen over. _Your_ era has likely been plunged into a never ending winter."

Kikyo sighed and lowered her hand back to her side.

"Come with me. There is something you must see."

Kagome hesitated. She looked at Inuyasha and, after a moment, gently laid him to rest against the Sacred Tree.

She stood cautiously and silently followed Kikyo. She gasped when they stopped at the Bone-Eater's Well.

"Buds are forming…but…the wood of this well is ancient."

"This well was constructed out of wood from the Tree of Ages. It's vital life force lay dormant all these years and is now being awakened by the Tree of Ages."

Kikyo paused, collecting herself for a moment.

"If the well is covered over, you will never be able to pass through to your own time."

Kagome leaned over the side of the well, staring into its depths as it was slowly being overrun by thick, winding vines.

"You must return to your own world while you still have a chance.

Her voice had grown slightly desperate, slightly angry.

"But…Inuyasha…"

"Go home!"

Kikyo began advancing on Kagome. Her steps were shuddering now, no longer composed.

"Back to your own era where you belong! You and Inuyasha live in different times."

Kikyo's fists had clenched in her fury and an unnatural wind began whipping her hair about her face.

"Go home!"

Kagome yelped when she felt that same unnatural wind push her backwards over the side of the well, back to her own era, her own _home_ but away from Inuyasha and her friends and the life she had found here.

The last thing she saw before the vines obscured her vision was Kikyo's face, with an expression that almost looked like pity, staring down at her from over the well, silhouetted against a grey sky.

"You must never be with Inuyasha again…nor I, for I am one of the dead and as such, I too do not belong here."

Kikyo sighed and glanced behind her, her eyes betraying nothing of her inner turmoil.

"You're Inuyasha's older brother."

Sesshoumaru stared at her impassively as he stepped into the clearing.

"The girl named Kagome…You truly must loath her…or are you merely testing her powers?"

Kikyo turned back to the well, staring at the climbing vines for a moment.

"I loath all things. I despise every living creature who is bound to time."

"Do as you see fit, though I warn you, I shall be the one to destroy Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru turned and strode away, his moon spun hair waving behind him, and Kikyo merely continued to watch as the Bone-Eater's Well was slowly consumed.

Rin and Jaken quickly scurried out from behind a nearby tree and began to follow him, their steps much quicker than their lords.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, are you certain it was a wise decision to let that woman go free?"

Sesshoumaru merely glanced at his retainer, scorn and… something else, something unidentifiable in his eyes.

"Are you blind Jaken? That woman is already dead."

Jaken's eyes grew larger and his mouth hung open, shocked into silence. Rin however, had no such speech impairment.

"Dead? But how can that be? She spoke as if she were living. How can she be dead when she's alive my lord?"

"Silence Rin!"

"I'm not asking you Master Jaken!"

Rin glared at the green toad as he lost his temper.

"What?! You brazen child!"

Rin merely ran ahead when Jaken took an _unfortunate_ tumble.

"Wait for me, Lord Sesshoumaru!"

**Well, I am very proud of this even though most (Ok 99.7 of this) is copied directly from the movie. It's a slightly different version that I could easily turn into a KagSess fic if I wanted a.k.a. if my muse wants. **

_**Quick question. Should I change this to Rin speaking in third person? She doesn't do it in the movie but almost everywhere else I see her she does. **_

**What I want to know is if you guys want me to continue this. I have sort of an idea for this to go on but if no one's going to read it (or review it) I'm not really sure I'd be able to make it as good a story as I want it to be. **

_**So push the little button in the corner and tell me what you think. Opinions, suggestions, even flames are welcome. Just push the little review button! **_


	2. Running Away

**THIS HAS BEEN EDITED! MORE WAS ADDED! PLEASE READ!**

**OFFICIAL NOTE: Rin will ****not**** be speaking in the third person for the duration of the story.**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. Don't own so don't sue. You wouldn't get anything anyway.**

'**Speaking through the tree'**

"**nii-san" (sp?) - sister**

--

Kagome ran.

She ran until she collapsed from exhaustion and then she forced herself up and ran again.

She ran to forget. She ran to escape the pain. She ran so she wouldn't have to remember...but she could only run so fast so long.

Kagome hit the ground hard, her ankle crying out in protest as muscles tore, a bruise already forming on the swollen joint. Cursing roots, rocks, and anything that stuck up from the ground in general, she struggled to get up and start running again, before her memories caught up with her.

When that failed, she punched the ground with blinding fury, in a rage that would have made even Lord Sesshoumaru raise a delicate eyebrow. Even as her fists became coated in blood and dirt, she continued, hoping that the pain would keep the tears already flowing down her face at bay.

Then, she began to cry, heart wrenching sobs that wracked her small frame with each gasping breath…and the memories came.

_Flashback_

_Kagome walked toward the Sacred Tree, her feet leaving deep footprints in the soft snow, ghostly reminders of her passage. Pulling the pink shawl tighter over her shoulders, she glanced at the glowing shards in her hand before closing her fingers over the glass vial. _

_Placing her hand on the cool bark and closing her eyes, Kagome sought to find herself and maybe, find the past she held so dear in the gentle aura of the Sacred Tree. _

'_I can feel him. I can feel Inuyasha.' _

'_Kagome? Is that you, Kagome?'_

'_Inuyasha? How are you? Are you OK?'_

'_Heh, don't worry. This is nothing…I'm kinda surprised you're not here.'_

'_I…came back.'_

'_Heh. Got scared, didja?'_

'_No! I just…I…'_

_The memory of Kikyo forcing her to leave surfaced, immediately followed by one of Kikyo kissing Inuyasha, her expression tender. She couldn't tell him. _

'_You what?'_

'_Uh um. Never mind. You're right. Maybe I ran away.'_

'_Stupid, you never change.' _

'_What do you mean, stupid?!'_

_Kagome looked up and saw Inuyasha leaning against the Sacred Tree, his eyes closed. _

'_Inuyasha?'_

"_Oh! Hey, you are here Kagome! So, what have you been worrying about?'_

'_I just feel so helpless. I even ended up hurting you Inuyasha and I thought you'd be better off without me around." _

'_Would you stop going on like that!'_

_Inuyasha stood up and took a step forward only to grunt in pain. Kagome ran toward him, supporting him with her arms._

'_Don't move. You'll only open your wounds.'_

_Inuyasha's hands tightened in her haori sleeve and she gasped as he pulled her forward into a gentle embrace. _

'_I need you with me Kagome! Haven't you realized that yet?'_

_Kagome felt the tears overflow and hung her head, letting them free._

'_Thank you.'_

'_Now come on back Kagome.'_

_End Flashback_

Kagome sat on the cold ground, more tears than she felt were possible for a human to hold winding a clean path down her otherwise filthy face. She had come back. She had come back and they had defeated Menomaru and everything was supposed to go back to normal…but it hadn't.

_Flashback_

"_Hey Sango, where'd Inuyasha go?"_

_Sango glanced at Kagome, looking slightly surprised. She looked around the hut and shrugged her shoulders. _

"_Don't know. Maybe he wanted some time alone."_

_Kagome smiled._

"_Well, I'll go look for him anyway."_

_Sango nodded and turned her attention back to Kilala. Since Kilala had broken free of Menomaru's control, she and Sango had been reaffirming their bond. At the moment, Kilala was purring as Sango's gentle hands ran over her fur._

_Still smiling as she exited the hut, Kagome began walking down the well worn path to the Sacred Tree. When Inuyasha needed to think, he was usually found perched in the branches of the Sacred Tree and it was here that Kagome suspected she would find him now. _

_Lost in thought, Kagome didn't notice the voices until she was almost upon them. Startled, she slipped behind a nearby tree and tried to slow her racing heartbeat. When she gathered up the courage to peek out from behind its lowest braches, what she saw made her want to sink into the ground. _

_Inuyasha was there…holding Kikyo. _

_Kagome stifled a sob and tried to listen to their words. _

"_Kikyo…what are you doing here?"_

_Kikyo stirred in Inuyasha's arms and looked him in the eyes. _

"_I have come to say goodbye. I am going to Hell." _

_Inuyasha flinched, his hands tightening around Kikyo. Kagome stared at the two. Didn't Inuyasha remember that Kikyo had declared she wouldn't go to Hell until he did too? _

_Inuyasha stared into her sad brown eyes, seeing in them the longing for things that couldn't be, for the things Naraku had robbed them of. He sighed and held her closer, burying his nose in her hair, inhaling the scent of earth and ashes. This was not his Kikyo…and yet…_

"_Kikyo, I love you. I always have…but I can't go with you."_

_Kikyo merely looked at him, as if she had been expecting this all along. _

"_It's my reincarnation, isn't it?"_

"_No! Listen Kikyo, even if I did go to Hell with you, we could never get back what we had. Too much has happened." _

_Kikyo sighed, her action unknowingly mirrored by her reincarnation. _

"_I know this…but…just for tonight…will you be with me?" _

_Inuyasha stared at her, his expression shocked and just a little bit knowing._

"_Kikyo…"_

"_Please…just for tonight. We can face reality tomorrow."_

_Inuyasha hesitated, then, ever so slowly, leaned down and kissed her. _

_Kagome stared at him, stared at them. She couldn't breathe past the lump in her throat, yet somehow a strangled sound managed to escape and reach Inuyasha's sensitive ears._

_His head snapped up and his eyes filled with such deep sadness that she couldn't take it anymore. She turned and ran, trying to forget what she'd just seen and heard. _

_Inuyasha looked at Kikyo, her eyes half closed. _

"_I'll be back."_

_Kagome had barely run ten feet when Inuyasha landed in front of her. _

"_Kagome…"_

_Kagome looked away, staring at anything but the hanyou in front of her. She had never realized just how much was on the forest floor. She watched as a centipede crawled over a twig and a trail of ants searched for food. She counted the individual grains of dirt, anything so she wouldn't have to look at Inuyasha. _

"_I can explain…"_

_Kagome's head snapped forward. She felt tears welling up but refused to acknowledge them by brushing them away._

"_Oh, you don't have to explain Inuyasha. It's Kikyo, the woman you love, the woman you'd die for, the woman __**you**__ can't refuse."_

_Despite his stricken face, she continued, months of suppressed anger and feelings of inferiority welling up into this one conversation. _

"_No. You don't have to explain. After all, now that she's back, you two can have another chance right. Inuyasha, the brave half demon and Kikyo, the perfect priestess, guardian of the Shikon Jewel. No, you don't have to explain yourself to this lowly reincarnation Inuyasha."_

_Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull. He took a tentative step forward, his hand outstretched. He froze when Kagome took a step back. _

"_Kagome, it was just for tonight. Nothing else would have happened after that. You wouldn't have had to know."_

_Kagome laughed, a bitter sound that echoed in the silence. _

"_You really believe that Inuyasha? You think she would have just let you go after she had a taste?"_

_Inuyasha remained silent and Kagome continued. _

"_No, Inuyasha. She would have asked to stay with you and you would have let her."_

_The slight flinch told Kagome she was right._

"_Where would that have left me, huh Inuyasha? The weak, untrained reincarnation, only good for detecting shards and the occasional arrow? What would I have done then? Just sit back and watch as she took over?"_

"_Kagome…"_

"_NO! Inuyasha, you said you needed me, remember? But, you don't. You have me…but every time she shows up you go to her. Every time she needs help, you go to her, whether I'm in danger or not!"_

_Inuyasha stepped back, his gaze on the ground._

"_No Inuyasha. I know she is your first love. I know you will always care about her and always feel the need to protect her because you __**promised, **__and that's just who you are. And I love you for that…"_

_Inuyasha's head snapped up, his eyes wide and his mouth open at the confession. _

"…_but I just can't take it anymore. I need some time alone Inuyasha, some time to sort things through."_

_Kagome turned toward the forest, and took a step forward. She looked backwards and saw Inuyasha standing there and saw Kikyo walking up to him, unnoticed as of yet. She gave a wane smile._

"_Go to her Inuyasha and let me go."_

_Seeing him about to run forward and grab her, she did the only thing she could._

"_Sit, boy."_

_The word itself was spoken softly and only had just enough power to force Inuyasha to his knees, just enough so that she could get away. _

"_It's all right Inuyasha. I may only be the weak reincarnation, but I can take care of myself for a couple of days. Goodbye Inuyasha."_

_Before her tears could actually fall, she turned and fled into the darkness of the woods, leaving behind an Inuyasha near tears himself. _

"_Kagome…"_

_End Flashback_

Kagome's sobs still wracked the forest, though her tears had long since run dry. She knew it was her fault that she felt this way. She had known Inuyasha would one day go to Kikyo, no matter his feelings for her because Kikyo was his first love and he still felt responsible for what had happened to her. She had known but she had still hoped.

With a tremendous effort, she quieted her breathing and allowed the exhaustion to finally set in. And as her vision darkened, she thought she felt a demonic aura approaching…but that was ok. She probably couldn't have defeated it by herself anyway, even if she had been at full strength.

Kagome closed her eyes and let the numbing bliss of unconsciousness grab her. Maybe the demon would kill her. Maybe it wouldn't. Maybe if she woke up, she would feel better. Maybe tomorrow, everything would be fine and she could go back to the village and she and Inuyasha could get into a big fight over something insignificant and she would sit him and everything would go back to normal.

She doubted it, but maybe…just maybe…

--------

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, so very little that if one wasn't paying attention, they would never have noticed.

_What was the miko doing here?_

Rin raced forward, shaking the unconscious girl in a futile effort to wake her. Her voice became slightly panicked when she realized that nothing she was doing was having any effect.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! What's wrong with Kagome-nii-san?!"

Sesshoumaru scanned the girl with a practiced gaze. She had multiple lacerations that slogged crimson blood. She was a filthy mess but did not look to be in any obvious danger of losing her life.

Ignoring the squawking Jaken, the taiyoukai bent down and brushed Kagome's tangled bangs away from her closed eyes. The girl instinctively shied away from his touch, exposing tearstained cheeks.

Rin fidgeted anxiously to the side, her own eyes beginning to fill with crystal tears. Jaken began muttering to himself but was otherwise silent.

What had happened that the strange miko was not with his accursed half-brother and their motley group of friends? Why was she in so much emotional pain, he could sense it from miles away?

"Jaken, make camp. We will stay here for the night."

-------

**This was much harder to write than I thought it would be. I swear I sat staring at a blank computer screen for over twenty minutes trying to think of something Inuyasha would actually do that would make Kagome mad enough that she would leave him for a while. **

**I didn't want this chapter to turn into one of those stories where Inuyasha goes to Kikyo with absolutely no regard for how it would make Kagome feel or even worse, deliberately wanting to hurt her because that is just so ****stupid and ridiculous**** because Inuyasha would never ever do that. **

**I think I did a fairly decent job on this though in the fact that this seems like something that could have actually happened and as much as I hate to put Kagome through even that, it's necessary for the story to go the way I want it to. **

**So anyway, my muse decided she likes me enough that the story will continue even though she still is holding the plot captive…so if you guys don't get updates for a while, it's either a) her fault or b) I just haven't had internet access, more than likely the latter. **

**So…push the little review button and tell me how terrible you think I did. **


	3. Tutor

I am SO sorry this took so long to update! My muse deserted me and without her, I can't write! …nothing good anyway.

Someone was brushing her hair.

Kagome's mind slowly registered someone's fingers sliding gently through her tresses, carefully picking at knots and tangles. No one had taken this much interest in her hair since she had been six. It was a pleasant change.

Kagome stirred, attempting to sit up so that the mystery hands could better reach the back of her head only to feel them pull away. She frowned and opened her eyes.

"Kagome nee-san!"

An orange and yellow-checkered kimono blocked her vision and little arms smothered her in an over-enthusiastic hug. Kagome smiled. She recognized that voice. It was nice to see her again…but first-

"Ugh! Rin-chan, I can't breathe."

The kimono immediately moved far enough away that Kagome could see the girl wearing it. Her hands were clasped behind her back and she stood shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Her grin did not diminish in size.

"Sorry, Kagome nee-san!"

Kagome smiled at the twitching girl. She yearned so openly for acceptance and affection, it was practically impossible to be angry with her. It was then that Kagome noticed her schoolbooks lying in a messy pile next to her bag.

"Rin-chan, were you reading my books?"

Rin froze instantly, a guilty expression clouding her sunny eyes. Her smile faltered and she stared at the ground.

"Sorry Kagome nee-san. I was only looking at the pretty pictures."

Kagome stood up slowly and kneeled in front of Rin, holding her shoulders. Rin looked up, vaguely surprised.

"Rin-chan, can you not read?"

Rin vehemently shook her head, waving her hands to emphasize her words.

"No. No one has ever taught me how."

Kagome grinned at the irresistible child before grabbing a simple storybook from the messy pile scattered beside her yellow backpack. She had brought it along so she could tell the fables and short stories to Shippo and it would work just as well now. She opened the book, observing Rin's hungry eyes follow the delicate font.

"Well, I'll just have to fix that now, won't I?"

Rin stared at the miko uncomprehendingly for a slow instant while her words were processed and filed away for later revisiting. The light of understanding lit up her small face. Tiny hands clasped in front of her fragile heart as if to protect it from false hope.

"Do…do you really mean it Kagome nee-san? You're going to teach me to read? And write?"

Kagome nodded enthusiastically and was immediately smothered in another hug. She gingerly detached Rin from her waist and kneeled in the shade of a massive willow tree with her book, a pen, and a notebook. Rin crept beside her as she opened a blank page.

Kagome meticulously began to write and strange designs began to flow onto the lined paper. When she finished, she handed the pen to Rin. The girl stared at it, then looked at the paper.

"That is how you write your name Rin. Why don't you try?"

Rin stared at the writing once more and slowly took the notebook from Kagome's outstretched hands. She carefully copied Kagome's neat script, her eyes focused with an intensity startling in such as small child. When Rin finished, she sat up and compared the two sets of writing with a critical eye.

"Mine's not as pretty as yours Kagome nee-san."

"That's because I've had lots of practice Rin-chan. You have to keep doing it, over and over and pretty soon, it will seem like you've known how your entire life."

Rin nodded seriously. She moved to the next line and attempted to write her name again and again and again. Her handwriting became much clearer. The lines were more confident and there were no ink blotches from where the pen lingered a second too long. Just as she turned to the next page, Kagome felt a shiver race down her spine with enough force to momentarily knock her breath away.

Kagome looked up just in time to see Sesshoumaru stroll into the clearing carrying an enormous stag on his shoulder. He had obviously been hunting yet not one drop of blood marred his white clothing and no single strand of hair dared move out of turn on the demon lord's perfect head. Kagome glared at his hair. Why did all the men in the feudal era have to have better hair than she did?

"Woman, if you do not wish for this Sesshoumaru to remove your eyes at once, you will cease your infernal glaring."

Kagome eeped when the body of the stag landed with a dull thud directly in front of her.

Jaken chose this exact moment to return to camp carrying an armload of firewood taller than he was. Sesshoumaru glared at his retainer when he stumbled over a rock he couldn't see.

"Jaken, make a fire."

The little toad scrambled to his feet and bowed in his lord's general direction before piling the sticks into a clumsy tepee and lighting them with the staff of two heads. Kagome glanced between the fire and the stag, coming to the conclusion that she was expected to prepare a meal.

Trying to ignore her growing confusion, Kagome opened her bag and pulled out her cooking supplies as Rin excitedly ran to Sesshoumaru. He looked on with bored indifference until Rin showed him the page with her name scrawled across it and gestured toward the pile of books nestled between the roots of the willow they had been sitting under. He turned toward Kagome, his eyes less cold than usual.

"I was not aware that you were educated miko."

Kagome grinned. Not many were in this era. She turned toward the deer, grateful for Sango's cooking lessons. Otherwise, this could turn into a very messy, ugly affair. It probably still could.

"Everyone in my family is educated Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru's delicate eyebrows inched up just the tiniest fraction of an inch. That meant she had to be of nobility…though she certainly did not dress or act like any of the pathetic human nobles he had ever had the displeasure of encountering. Then again, she did not really dress or act like _any_ other human he had ever encountered.


End file.
